General Care Discussion :: Time for my first Tank Cleaning

[KatieSmeltzer]

Well, I decided it's time to clean out the tank for the first time of having my little 2" RES.

My only problem is, he runs and hides when I get near the tank...so how do I get him out?

[jameshermanto]

if you give him pellet, then just shake the bottle of pellet, then after he comes up, haha just sneak slowly. Dhuaarrr, take it. than just watch out of his bite. his bite really pain.

[Caphits]

I use a pellet to lure him up to the basking area, and while he is distracted by the pellet, I pick him up.

I hold the pellet in my hand to do this, not just set it on the basking area.

This might not work if you have never hand fed them though.

[BullDog]

How big is your tank? It's it too difficult just to reach in and scoop him out? My boy Ralph usually comes to the surface when I come over to the tank (though he hates being taken out of the tank).
Frankie on the other hand gives me this paranoid look every time I come over to the tank, and if she figures something is up, she'll go to the far end of the tank. Then I just have to wait with my hands just above the surface to scoop her up when she comes close enough. I still usually end up to my elbows in turtle water though...

Like James said though, just watch out for a bite! Even though he's little, he'll still be able to break the skin.

[theartbook35]

I usually don't have a problem with this, but when I do, I just figure out where they are hiding, and move whatever they are hiding behind and scoop them out. You don't have to worry about a two inch turtles biting or scratching, they aren't strong enough at that age to do any damage.

I think you are asking this cause your afraid of scaring them. Young turtles spook easily. For a few minutes every day, just approach the tank, and without moving, simply watch your turtle move around and do what they do. Hatchlings should be handled every two or three days. Turtles are very friendly and like to be handled or pet when you are always in their face. Gets them to trust you.

[KatieSmeltzer]

I have been slowly trying to hand-feed him and he'll get close to the pellet, but will wait til I drop it. I guess I can just reach in and grab him. I am afraid of scaring and scarring him, that he'll never trust me.

[Caphits]

Nah, next time you come over with a pellet, you will be his best friend.

Yeah, about the hand feeding: You don't actually have to let him get the pellet to "lure" him up to the basking area (so that you can easily pick him up). When I do it, my turtle seems to have some sort of unnatural force pushing him on his dock. He just goes frantic for the pellets.


Best of luck! (yeah, you can just dig your whole arm into the tank, if thats what your into, but for me, this is extremely easy, and "wet arm" free!)

[KatieSmeltzer]

I got his tank all cleaned out! ...

The only problem is, when I put him back in the water, he totally freaked out! For the first 2 hours, he swam around like mad and attacked everything in the tank! I added one of those floating docks, and he climbed right on it, and bit at it! He didn't get any pieces off, it was just like he was testing it. Then he jumped off of that, and attacked one of the suction cups that keep it attached to the tank! And *then* he started attacking his grass (this grass has been in there since I got him)!!!

But the next day, he seemed back to normal. Should I be worried that he was eating the dock? He hasn't even used it since (that I've seen), and it was like he was just testing it out.

Does this seem normal? Showing aggression/biting at new things in the tank?

[Caphits]

Is there cuttlebone in the tank?

[BullDog]

The dock was new when you cleaned the tank? It's likely he was just reacting to something new in his environment.

My turtles usually freak out for a few minutes after I put them back in a clean tank, but once they realize it's their same old tank, then go back to their usual behaviour.

[jozzep]

buy a syphon.......You don't even need to move the tank or the turtles to clean it.
Best investment i've ever made for my turtle cleaning needs

[KatieSmeltzer]

Is there cuttlebone in the tank?

Actually, I bought some cuttlebone after I cleaned it.

Which brings up another funny story...
I didn't realize that you had to break it up into small pieces, I thought they kind of chewed on it or something. (Hey, I'm brand-new at this.)

Filbert wasn't too interested in it...until he discovered that he could float on it. So for about 3 hours, he "surfed" on top of the cuttlebone slab! Every time it would tip to one side, he would paddle to upright himself.

[theartbook35]

Is there cuttlebone in the tank?

Actually, I bought some cuttlebone after I cleaned it.

Which brings up another funny story...
I didn't realize that you had to break it up into small pieces, I thought they kind of chewed on it or something. (Hey, I'm brand-new at this.)

Filbert wasn't too interested in it...until he discovered that he could float on it. So for about 3 hours, he "surfed" on top of the cuttlebone slab! Every time it would tip to one side, he would paddle to upright himself.

Some turtles aren't always interested in cuttlebone. You could either break it into smaller pieces like you said, or maybe make jello shots. I'm buying these sand dollars, which are made of calcium carbonate too, and I have a conditioner in the tank right now also 99% of it literally made of calcium, that they are pecking at. (sand dollars at this website: http://www.petdiscounters.com)

[joeybsmooth]

I just started sucking out the water . Until there is I find him.